Decorative washer



Dec. 23, 1969 w. on 3,485,134

DECORATIVE WASHER Filed Feb. 20, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 23, 1969 w.on" 3,485,134

DECORATIVE WASHER Filed Feb. 20, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F7 1]. FFg IEUnited States Patent 3,485,134 DECORATIVE WASHER Walter Ott, 102 PintailCrescent, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 20, 1968, Ser. No.706,971 Int. Cl. A47g 3/00 US. Cl. 8555 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A dismountable cover to be placed over a fastening member isdescribed which consists of an attaching disc of resilient material anda cap of resilient material detachably joined to the disc. A hole isdefined in the disc for receiving part of the fastening and is formedwith generally radical cuts extending therefrom so that the wholeassembly can be pressed over the fastening by resilient deformation ofthe material of the disc. When desired, the cap and disc may beseparated from one another.

This invention relates to improvements in covers for bolts, nuts, screwsand other fastening members which are unsightly in the situation inwhich they are used.

More particularly the invention relates to a cover which can be placedrapidly but which may be easily removed, and is effectively held inposition while in use.

This type of cover is widely employed in fixtures such as baths,washbasins and toilets, in which the fixture must be securely anchored,but in which the fastening must be unseen, or blend, for best effect.

In the past such covers have been placed over their respective bolt,usually by glueing, in such a way that they are difficult to remove ifat any time servicing of the bolt is required.

Bolt covers have also been made of metal and provided with ears or tabswhich may be bent into position to embrace the bolt head. These havebeen unsatisfactory since removal of the decorative cover generallyleads to breaking of the tabs. A similar replacement is unlikely to beon hand at such time so that glueing or removal and replacement of allthe bolt covers which are visible in any particular area in order tomaintain uniformity of appearance are the only solutions.

Other bolt covers have been designed specifically for cooperation withindividual bolt heads manufactured in certain specific ways so that thecover screws onto or otherwise lockingly engages the bolt. This is againunsatisfactory since during repairs it may be necessary to replace thebolt and the replacement is unlikely to be specifically designed.

In following the teaching of the present invention, a bolt cover isprovided which is rapidly assembled on any hexagonal or rectangular bolthead or other fastening member and which can be disassembled quickly forinspection or removal from the fastening without damage to thedecorative washer.

More particularly in accordance with the inventio there is provided adismountable two piece cover for a fastening which comprises a cap ofresilient material, and an attaching disc of resilient material, meansdetachably joining said cap and said disc together as a unit, and a holedefined in said disc for receiving part of said fastening for attachingthe cover thereto, said hole being shaped for passing by resilientdeformation distortion of said material over said fastening and grippingthe part of said fastening.

3,485,134 Patented Dec. 23, 1969 Embodiments of the invention will nowbe described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view from below of a cover made inaccordance with the teaching of the inventron,

FIGURE 2 shows a side sectional elevation of a bolt onto which the coverof FIGURE 1 is sliding,

FIGURE 3 shows a side sectional elevation of the cover in place on abolt head,

FIGURE 4 shows a plan view from below of the cap portion of the cover,

FIGURES 5 and 6 show two embodiments of an engaging disc, and

FIGURE 7 shows a further embodiment of a cover with another means ofattachment to its disc,

FIGURE 8 shows a side view partly in section of another embodiment ofthe invention in position on a fastening nut,

FIGURE 9 shows a plan view of a disc of the type illustrated in FIGURE8,

FIGURE 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the disc of FIGURE 8,

FIlgICgURE 11 shows a further embodiment of the disc of FIGURE 12 showsa yet further embodiment of a disc of the type shown in FIGURE 8, and

FIGURE 13 shows in greater detail part of FIGURE 8.

With reference now to FIGURE 1, the cover 1 includes a cap 2 andattaching disc 3. The disc can be re ceived against stop 4 (FIGURE 3) inthe base of the cap 2 and is embraced by the tabs 5 on the cap. Theattaching disc 3 is pierced by a hole 6 shaped to fit the type of bolthead 7 with which the cover will cooperate. In the instance shown thebolt head 7 is hexagonal but, it intended to be used with rectangularheads, hole 6 would be rectangular.

In FIGURE 2 is a lag bolt 8 screwed into support 9 against which it isholding a portion 10 of a fixture with raised land 11.

The cover 1 is then grasped and placed over the head 7 of bolt 8, sothat the hole 6 in the disc 5 is distorted by the head, and forced ontoand down the head (as in FIGURE 2) until it takes up the position ofFIGURESN For the most secure fastening of disc 5 it is preferable thatthe land 11 be overlapped by the bolt head 7 so that the lips 12 of thehole cooperate with the underside of the head. However the edges of thehole 6 will grip the head 7 firmly and for most purposes even if thedisc remains on the bolt head it will be sufficiently tightly held. Thematerial of which the attaching disc 3 is: made should be both tough andresilient, such as nylon, polyethylene, polytetrafluorethylene orpolypropylene as examples.

The surface colour and texture of cap 2 is suitably chosen to resemblethat of the adjacent part 10 of the fixture or to harmonize with it. I

The bolt 8 is thus hidden by an aesthetically appealing cover which canbe selected for the particular design of fixture concerned.

When the cover must be removed for servicing the bolt, it is merelynecessary to grasp the cap 2, and rotate it with respect to theattaching disc 3 so that the tabs 5 are aligned with the slots 15 of thedisc (FIGURES l and 5). The cap can then be lifted off. The disc 3 canbe removed from the bolt either after the bolt has been removed or byprying it off with, for example, a screwdriver. As shown in FIGURES 2,3, and 5, the disc 3 is provided with relieved .shoulder 16 againstwhich the tabs 5 en- 3 gage. This shoulder 16 may however be of the samethickness as the disc 3 itself if so desired.

In FIGURE 6 a second embodiment of the disc 3 is shown where theshoulder 16 has a cam faced edge 17 rising from it. In this case thetips 18 of tabs will press against the cam surface as the cap is placedon disc 3' and rotated with respect to it. This structure ensures a morepositive locking of cap 2 on disc 3.

By providing the cover 1 as a single unit of cap and attaching disc,which only need be separated when the cover must be removed from a boltit is protecting, a very conveniently applied device has been provided.It will be understood that although the cover has been shown cooperatingwith a bolt head it may equally well be constructed to cooperate with anut, screw, bolt or nail of whatever shape may be desired. The cap neednot be hemispherical as shown but may be varied and ornamented to suitthe situation.

In FIGURE 7 another embodiment of the invention has a cap 20 whichengages a disc 21. The disc 21 is held against a washer 22 which in turnpresses on land 23 of a fixture 24. The lower part of the bolt 25 is nowshown. The disc 21 includes a ridge 26 which runs around its perimeterand engages in a groove 27 formed in and running around the inside ofcap 20.

This disc 21 as shown, is mounted under nut 28 by first separating cap20 from it. After tightening the nut 28 the cap is pushed onto the discand ridge 26 falls into groove 27. The cap can be removed for servicingthe nut at any time merely by grasping it firmly and lifting.

The arrangement of FIGURE 7 may be modified as described for the discs 3and 3' so that disc 21 is pierced with a nut or bolt head receivingopening. The assembly can then be put onto the head of a fasteningmember without separating disc 21 and cap 20 in the manner described forthe device of FIGURES l, 2 and 3. The cap and disc may subsequently beseparated for servicing as explained above.

In another embodiment of the invention, the disc takes the form as shownat 30 in FIGURES 8 and 9. The disc is formed with a hole 31 whosediameter is smaller than the width of the faces of the nut or bolt head32 with which it is to cooperate. Cuts 33 are formed in the material ofthe disc terminating at the hole 31 and extending for a short distancetowards the outer periphery of the disc. In a typical case where the nutor bolt head is hexagonal (as is conventional) the disc would be formedwith twelve cuts 33. When the cap and disc assembly is to be placed overthe nut 32 as shown in FIGURE 8, it is forced down, and the sections 34between the cuts 33 are pushed up in the manner shown in FIGURE 8allowing the whole assembly to be pushed onto the nut 32 with ease andwith an effort determined principally by the thickness of the disc 30and the resilience of the material of which it is formed. The disc isforced down until it contacts the washer 22' (c.f. FIGURE 7), but anyattempt to remove the assembly will cause the sections 34 to be pressedmore tightly into contact with the nut 32 and therefore to provide apositive locking action preventing withdrawal.

In instances where it is desired to have some control over the lateralposition of the assembly, the hole 31 can usefully be offset as shown at35 in FIGURE 10. When the assembly of disc 36 and cap 29 are pushed onto the nut 32, the sections 34 between cuts 33 behave exactly as shownin the embodiment of FIGURE 9.

A further embodiment shown in FIGURE 11 has an elongated, hole 38defined in the disc 39 again with cuts 33. The embodiment allows theassembly to be offset with respect to the nut or positioned centrally ifdesired. The sections 40 between the cuts 33 behave in their lockingaction in the same way as the parts 34 of FIGURES 9 and 10.

In FIGURE 12 yet a further embodiment is shown with a disc 42 having anelongated hole 43 defined in it terminating at the perimeter of the disc44. This arrangement allows the assembly of cap 29 and disc 42 to beforced on to the nut 32 in the manner described before, but also allowsthe alternative of inserting the disc 42 beneath a nut or bolt head suchas shown in FIGURE 2 by sliding the disc 42 under the head. The cap 29can then subsequently be snapped over the disc 42.

It will be understood that in all the embodiments should the worker orartisan installing the apparatus so desire, the assembly of disc and capcan first be separated and the discs such as 36, 36, 39 or 42 used as asimple washer by placing under the bolt, or on the shaft 37 beforeaffixing the nut 32. This is made possible by the fact that widths ofholes 31, 35, 38 or 43 are smaller than the minimum widths of the nut 32or bolt head. In such a case, the washer 22' (FIGURE 8) might well bedispensed with. The cap 29 is placed on the disc after tightening thenut 32.

It will thus be seen that the devices in accordance with the inventionallow for a great multiplicity of methods of assembly. They can be usedwith new work by forming part of the complete installation and allowingthe use of fewer parts, such as by dispensing with the washer 22, oralternatively, can be installed on apparatus already in place bypressing onto the nut or bolt head concerned. In some embodiments thedisc may be entered under the head of the fastening and in otherembodiments for lateral orientation of the disc is permitted, allowingthe cover to give the most pleasing aesthetic effect or best mechanicalpositioning.

In their locking action the sections 34 or 40 tightly attach theappropriate disc onto the bolt or nut 32, but the use of a lever such asa screwdriver can readily remove cap 29 by separation at the edge 44 and45.

Reference to FIGURE 13 shows a particularly satisfactory interlockingarrangement between disc and cap in that the disc carries a chamferededge 46 which cooperates with an inclined edge 47 on the cap 29 as theassembly is pressed together. The lips 50 and 51 cooperate when theassembly is joined together to prevent removal except when a lever isplaced under the edge 52.

Furthermore by providing the discs 30, 36, 39 and 42 with a multiplicityof cuts 33 they can readily accommodate 4- or 6-sided, round or otheruniformly shaped fastening heads.

I claim:

1. A dismountable two piece cover for a fastening which comprises adome-shaped cap of resilient plastic material being open at its base,and a one-piece, substantially planar attaching disc of resilientplastic material received within the open end of said cap, interengagingmeans on said cap and said disc detachably joining said cap and saiddisc together as a unit, and a hole defined in said disc for receivingpart of said fastening for attaching the cover thereto, said hole beingshaped for passing by resilient deformation distortion of said materialover said fastening and gripping the part of said fastening, said discincluding generally radial cuts passing through the entire thickness ofsaid disc terminating at said hole and extending into the material ofthe disc towards the perimeter of said disc, said cuts defining sectionsof said disc therebetween resiliently deflectable when said assembly isforced down over said fastening and providing the means for gripping thesaid part of said fastening.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 the periphery of said disc includinga chamfered edge, a second chamfered edge on said cap for cooperationwith said first chamfered edge upon mutual assembly of said cap anddisc.

3. A cover as defined in claim 1 said hole being offset from the centerof said'disc.

4. A cover as defined in claim 1 said hole being elon gated andextending laterally of said disc.

5. A cover as defined in claim 3 said hole extending 5 6 laterally ofsaid disc and terminating at one edge of said 2,654,113 10/ 1953 Becker85-55 disc. 3,122,051 2/1964 Greene 85--53 FOREIGN PATENTS 890,0492/1962 Great Britain.

References Cited UNITED STATES P E 5 916,941 1/ 1963 Great Britain.

618,169 2/ 1961 Italy. 133,778 12/1872 Jenkins 85-55 151,226 5/1874Jenkins 85 55 46, 75 3/ 9 l r 1,994,978 3/ 1935 Brown 85-53 RAMON S.BR1TTS,Primary Examiner

